Taking Life
by RawrHappi
Summary: Everyone is back at Hogwarts finishing up the education which had been derailed following the death of Dumbledore, but not everyone is having the easiest time adjusting to the new school year. However, sometimes the only way to make it through hard times is to take life as it comes and hope you don't get swallowed.


**Okay, first chapter of a new story. It will be slow going, I only have time to work on it in my downtime at work but I am made giddy by it… Anyway, boy love up ahead. Not Deathly Hallows Compliant. I do not own any of the characters nor do I make any money. Also on a side note as we get going here I am looking for a beta reader, I kind of suck at life and especially at my grammar and mechanics. Anyone who is willing need only drop me a message and without farther ado I'll shut up.**

Draco sat back on the ground with a small frown on his face. He was trying not to focus on the way his head was pounding, the way his eyes burned, how his body felt as though he'd fallen off of his broom while being simultaneously beaten by bludger. He didn't want to go to the infirmary; he didn't want to walk through the halls. He wasn't even entirely sure why he'd come back for this final year. Most of his fellow Slytherins had been taken to Azkaban, or killed in the war, or kept from returning to finish their education by parents who wanted to flee the country. He didn't have that option, nor did he have anyone left with him who cared about his wellbeing.

He pulled up the sleeve, staring at the mark on his arm. He had tried so many times to slice it off, cut open enough of the lines to distort it. Nothing worked though, the mark was impossible to get rid of. The very worst part was his eighteenth birthday had passed with no sign of his mate. He couldn't say he was shocked by this outcome. He was a coward, he knew the harm he caused, he knew he didn't have much of an option, but other people didn't. People assume he sided with Voldemort because he praised the man, worshipped the monster that had torn his family apart. His father had become so enamored with the snake like man he didn't mind sacrificing his family to gain more glory on himself.

The man had always been like that though; the Malfoy's didn't have any friends. They had business partners as a mean to meet the end. They had used people to keep themselves safe, powerful, rich. The ministry had seized everything though, taken everything he had left, including the house he had lived in since his birth. Over the summer he had found refuge in the shrieking shack. It had been sweltering hot and he'd had to stock up on treats from Hogsmeade, but he'd survived it. And now, when school was out for good he would out of luck on a place to go once again. He didn't ask McGonagall, he was sure the witch wouldn't be happy to help him after the events that had transpired only a few short months ago.

He sighed before pushing up off the ground, he needed to study, he didn't come here so he could feel sorry for himself. He moved over to the desk that had appeared, which held the bag he had sat down when he first arrived, and started to pull his stuff out. This was the only place he could come and feel safe anymore; the library was full of people who sneered at him. The dungeons used to be his safe place here and even that was no longer an option for him. He pulled out his History of Magic book first, knowing he could get through this homework the quickest. After a couple of hours and four assignments later he had nearly run out of homework to do, he just needed make his potion, this would easily be the most time consuming of the homework he'd had.

He stood and stretched his body was stiff from sitting for so long at the desk. He moved over and threw himself on the bed, groaning gently as his body settled. He felt sore everywhere and he was guessing that chair wasn't really helping him at all. He heard a sound and bolted upright, his eyes turning toward the wall that was molding itself into a door before swinging open. Behind the door harry Potter was standing, looking around the room for a moment before green eyes locked on his gray ones. "Potter." He swore his voice sounded more defeated than malicious.

"I asked the room for somewhere quiet to study." Harry said the words in a voice that made him sigh, letting himself drop back on the bed.

"What a coincidence." Malfoy mumbled, closing his eyes.

"I didn't do it to bother you, how was I supposed to know the room would bring me to the same place?" Malfoy resisted the urge to bite back at the others rhetorical question.

"Why aren't you studying with your little friends?" Harry didn't answer for a moment and he didn't expect him to after a few moments of silence before he did speak.

"My little friends, as you so eloquently put it, are too busy fawning all over each other and I find it a little disgusting to be around them when they're all over each other." Draco just nodded a little. He had always hated being around his old friends when they had started pairing off and spent all their time making googly eyes at each other.

"Either way I have no intention of leaving."

"Well… what the bloody fuck happened to you?" Draco groaned, why was the other male even looking at him closely enough to notice?

"I tripped, leave me alone."

"Fuck you tripped." Draco felt confused by the sudden anger in the other male's voice and he groaned in annoyance.

"What do you actually want? You wanted somewhere quiet to study, instead you've decided on bothering me. Golden Boy can't by someone with a few bruises without thinking he has someone else to save, huh?"

"You know what, fuck you. I asked because I was worried and as a matter of fact you did not fall down the stairs. I've fallen down stairs before and just no." Draco stayed silent, his resolve crumbling fast. "Who did it Draco?" Harry's voice was low and threatening. Draco didn't speak, but he could feel his heart pick up a little as his name came from Harry's mouth. "Draco."

"Stop." His throat clenched, he refused to cry in front of the other male. "Stop talking to me like we're friends, don't pretend you give any shits about me when we both knows it's a bloody lie." Malfoy growled, he wasn't angry but he felt like crying which did piss him off a little.

"We're not friends; you've made that more than clear. Ever since I chose Ron over you in first year." Malfoy nodded a little miserably before pulling the blanket up over his head. He remembered how Harry had snubbed his friendship for a Weasely, who had proven time and again that he couldn't be trusted to remain friendly if had even a little inkling that Harry had done something to wrong him. Of course he had only continued picking on Harry because the feelings he'd obtained for the black haired male were growing. No matter what he did they didn't go away so he hid them; instead playing his ridiculous crush off as hatred for the Boy Who Lived.

"Not that I need a reminder you chose a Weasely."

"Well, you chose Voldemort." Draco threw the blanket off and for a moment Harry thought the other male was going to hit him or something. At least until the blond swept by him, his face emotionless as he knocked his shoulder against Harry's on the way out the door. Harry almost made another comment, at least until he seen the way Draco's face had crumbled with tears sliding from gray eyes as the Slytherin hurried out of sight.

 **Anyway… A short introduction that really doesn't give up much at all. But I am super excited, and I hope to have more along hopefully in the next couple of weeks! Thank you for reading and drop me a review, they make me smile and I love criticism. Anything to help me improve!**


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